5 Former Police Officers Federally Indicted in the Death of Tyre Nichols

Five former police officers connected to the death of Tyre Nichols have now been indicted on federal charges.

Nichols, 29, died after a Jan. 7 traffic stop in Memphis, Tenn. A police body camera and surveillance video from the scene showed officers beating Nichols for approximately three minutes. After the standoff, Nichols was taken to the hospital in critical condition. He died three days later.

Five former Memphis police officers charged with manslaughter in the death of Tire Nichols

The five former police officers involved — Tadarrius Bean, 24, Demetrius Haley, 30, Emmitt Martin III, 31, Desmond Mills Jr., 33, and Justin Smith, 28 — were relieved of duty after the incident happened.

They are charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping and multiple counts of misconduct and official oppression, according to Shelby County Jail online records.

Photos reserved by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office via AP

“The District Attorney’s Office worked extremely quickly but thoroughly to charge those whose transgressions clearly and directly contributed to Mr. Nichols’ death, but this investigation is by no means over,” the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement at the time.

On Tuesday, the US Department of Justice said in a press release that the former officers allegedly “deliberately deprived Nichols of his constitutional rights.”

Tire Nichols. facebook

The first count alleges that the men “aided and abetted each other, violated Nichols’ right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by the officer by assaulting him and by failing to intervene in the unlawful assault.”

While count one alleges that the assault resulted in Nichols’ death, count two alleges that “all five defendants violated Nichols’ right to be free from law enforcement officials’ deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs.”

From left, former officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith. MEMPHIS POLICE. Memphis Police Department (4)

In count three, all five defendants allegedly “conspired to conceal their use of unlawful force by omitting material information” and “providing false and misleading information to their supervisor and others.”

Count four alleges that the defendants “committed the crime of obstruction by willfully omitting material information and providing false and misleading information to the two officers charged with writing the arrest report on Nichols.”

Tire Nichols Loved 4-Year-Old Son, Photography & San Francisco 49ers: ‘Free Spirit’

According to the press release, counts one and two carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. Counts three and four carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

“Police officers who violate the civil rights of those they are sworn to protect undermine public safety, which depends on community trust in the police,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “They dishonor their fellow officers who do their jobs with integrity every day. The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable officers who betray their oath of office.”

Blake Ballin, Mills’ defense attorney, told CNN after the charges that “this is going to cause us to shift gears a little bit. This adds another layer of things that we’re going to have to examine and investigate.”

Want to keep up with the latest crime reports? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for the latest crime news, coverage of ongoing trials and details on intriguing unsolved cases. According to the release, he added in another statement: “We expected this federal indictment and it does not change Mr. Mills’ position. As in the state case, Mr. Mills maintains his innocence. He will submit to the federal indictment and continue to defend himself against all charges in the state and the federal court system.”

It’s not clear who represents Bean, Haley, Martin III or Smith at this point.

Nichols family attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci it is stated in the press release after announcing that “Today’s news from the United States Department of Justice that there will be federal criminal charges in Tyre’s death gives hope to his family as they continue to mourn his loss and inspire change in his honor.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education